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On Our Radar

20 Key Players in U.S. 'Fiscal Cliff' Drama

Rep. Ron Paul, (R-Texas), on the current state of the economy and whether the administration can make corrections in the next four years.

After the November 6 elections, urgent tax and spending issues must be addressed, forcing Washington's power players to make some tough decisions before the end of the year.

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Here are some of the politicians, administration figures, lobbyists and researchers who must find a way down from the "fiscal cliff" without pushing the economy over the edge.

* Barack Obama, president. Regardless of who wins the November 6 presidential election, Obama will be in the White House during the final months of 2012 when the "fiscal cliff" must be dealt with.

* Thomas Barthold, chief of staff, Joint Committee on Taxation. Behind-the-scenes research chief. His non-partisan team of experts supplies make-or-break analysis to Congress.

* Max Baucus, Montana senator. Powerful Democratic chairman of tax-focused Senate Finance panel. Will cross party lines for a deal. Up for re-election in 2014, may be vulnerable.

* Ben Bernanke, Federal Reserve chairman. World's most important central banker. He has warned that mishandling of what he dubbed the "fiscal cliff" could seriously damage the economy.

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* Joseph Biden, vice president. Played key role in forging 2010 deal to extend Bush-era tax cuts for two years after Republican takeover of U.S. House of Representatives.

* John Boehner, House speaker. Capitol Hill veteran from Ohio. Struggles with Tea Party wing of his party in House. His work with Obama on deficit 'grand bargain' fell apart in 2011.

* Erskine Bowles, Former Clinton White House chief of staff. Co-chaired Simpson-Bowles deficit-cutting panel. Its report did not get a vote in Congress, but some see it as a reform model.

* Dave Camp, Michigan representative. Republican chairman of tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee until 2014. Gets along with Baucus. Voted against Simpson-Bowles. Has tax plan of his own.

* Timothy Geithner, Treasury secretary. Expected to step down soon, architect of Obama administration fiscal policy has warned against a repeat of 2011 budget drama on Capitol Hill that led to downgrade of the nation's credit rating.